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EVE'S RANSOM

by

George Gissing

CHAPTER I

On the station platform at Dudley Port, in the dusk of a February
afternoon, half a dozen people waited for the train to Birmingham. A
south west wind had loaded the air with moisture, which dripped at
moments, thinly and sluggishly, from a featureless sky. The lamps, just
lighted, cast upon wet wood and metal a pale yellow shimmer; voices
sounded with peculiar clearness; so did the rumble of a porter's barrow
laden with luggage. From a foundry hard by came the muffled, rhythmic
thunder of mighty blows; this and the long note of an engine whistle
wailing far off seemed to intensify the stillness of the air as gloomy
day passed into gloomier night.

In clear daylight the high, uncovered platform would have offered an
outlook over the surrounding country, but at this hour no horizon was
discernible. Buildings near at hand, rude masses of grimy brick, stood
out against a grey confused background; among them rose a turret which
vomited crimson flame. This fierce, infernal glare seemed to lack the
irradiating quality of earthly fires; with hard, though fluctuating
outline, it leapt towards the kindred night, and diffused a blotchy
darkness. In the opposite direction, over towards Dudley Town, appeared
spots of lurid glow. But on the scarred and barren plain which extends
to Birmingham there had settled so thick an obscurity, vapours from
above blending with earthly reek, that all tile beacons of fiery toil
were wrapped and hidden.

Of the waiting travellers, two kept apart from the rest, pacing this
way and that, but independently of each other. They were men of
dissimilar appearance; the one comfortably and expensively dressed, his
age about fifty, his visage bearing the stamp of commerce; the other,
younger by more than twenty years, habited in a way which made it;
difficult to as certain his social standing, and looking about him with
eyes suggestive of anything but prudence or content. Now and then they
exchanged a glance: he of the high hat and caped ulster betrayed an
interest in the younger man, who, in his turn, took occasion to observe
the other from a distance, with show of dubious recognition.

The trill of an electric signal, followed by a clanging bell, brought
them both to a pause, and they stood only two or three yards apart.
Presently a light flashed through the thickening dusk; there was
roaring, grinding, creaking and a final yell of brake tortured wheels.
Making at once for the nearest third class carriage, the man in the
seedy overcoat sprang to a place, and threw himself carelessly back; a
moment, and he was followed by the second passenger, who seated himself
on the opposite side of the compartment. Once more they looked at each
other, but without change of countenance.

Tickets were collected, for there would be no stoppage before
Birmingham: then the door slammed, and the two men were alone together.

Two or three minutes after the train had started, the elder man leaned
forward, moved slightly, and spoke.

"Excuse me, I think your name must be Hilliard."

"What then?" was the brusque reply.

"You don't remember me?"

"Scoundrels are common enough," returned the other, crossing his legs,
"but I remember you for all that."

The insult was thrown out with a peculiarly reckless air; it astounded
the hearer, who sat for an instant with staring eyes and lips apart;
then the blood rushed to his cheeks.

"If I hadn't just about twice your muscle, my lad," he answered
angrily, "I'd make you repent that, and be more careful with your
tongue in future. Now, mind what you say! We've a quiet quarter of an
hour before us, and I might alter my mind."

The young man laughed contemptuously. He was tall, but slightly built,
and had delicate hands.

"So you've turned out a blackguard, have you?" pursued his companion,
whose name was Dengate. "I heard something about that."